Ever-ready air jacket



April 4,1944. v. GERICH 2,346,019

EVER READY AIR JACKET Filed Jan. 5, 1942 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 4, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EVER-READY AIR JACKET Valentine Gerich, New York, N. Y.

Application January 5, 1942, Serial No. 425,681

4 Claims.

This invention relates to an ever ready air jacket that may be a permanent inner lining or part of a coat garment or detachable therewith, and is instantly ready for use as a lift buoy or preserver when one is in distress on or in the water.

The main object of this invention is that the air-jacket may be made in one integral form or in separate half sections. When partially inflated it is hardly noticeable to the wearer, as

it is only about one inch in thickness, vertical and horizontal tapes secured at their overlapping portions to both layers of rubber, thereby providing a reinforced tuft section at all of the junctures r overlapping portions of the tapes, and keeps. the jacket when inflated in a uniform size and if necessary it may be further inflated to a greater thickness, either through an air check valve by the wearer, or by a compressed air cartridge connected thereto.

Another object of this invention is the adaptation of using the air-jacket as a wind-breaker to keep the body warm.

Another object of this invention is using the divided air-jacket sections in combination with a swimming suit or with a bust strap or brassire and shorts, or as a part of any desired wearing apparel.

Another object of this invention is that the air jackets of this invention are useful for children, women and men.

Other objects of this invention will appear as the description proceeds in the following specification, accompanied by the annexed drawings, in which Figure l is an elevational view of the integral air-jacket of this invention shown in its open flat position.

Figure 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1, showing the airjacket inflated.

Figure 3 is a similar view of the same air-jacket shown partially deflated.

Figure 4 illustrates the same air-jacket secured to the inner lining and in between the left and right flaps of a coat.

Figure 5 is a front view of the air-jacket divided in separate half sections, which is shown used in combination with a swimming outfit or under-dress ensemble.

Figure 6 is a side view of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a rear view of the same divided airjacket and Figure 8 is a front view of the same divided air-jacket shown in Figure 5, with the front shown opened.

Referring to the drawings, the air jacket comprises a body formed of two thin layers it and H of indiaor durable live rubber, which are secured together around the outer edges l2, l3, l4 and I5 by a folded strip of cloth or tape [6 cemented and vulcanized therewith. The layers l0 and H are further secured together by tufts [6a which may be reinforced by the flat washers I1 and horizontally and vertically by strips of cloth or tapes I8 and IS, the ends of which are secured in between the outer edges of layers and the strip l'B, which may be a single layer instead of being folded, if so desired. The strip of cloth or tape i6 may be provided with spaced button-holes 29 that cooperate with buttons 2| sewed to the seam 22 formed by the inner lining 23 and flaps 24 of the coat. Lower tabs 25 are provided with spaced button-holes for securing to the buttons of pants (not shown) of the wearer, generally used for th suspenders. The side or end portions 26 and 21 of the air-jacket are provided with tapes or ribbons 28 that may be part of the strip or tape l8 to secure jacket to body of wearer.

For inflating the air-jacket a suitable hose connection 29 may be provided with a tube member 30, controlled air valve 3| and a compressed air cartridge 32. This inflating connection may be secured in the pocket 33 when not in use.

It will be noted that the upper front left and right portions are so formed at 35 to fit under the arm pits of the wearer, or holes 36 of the coat, the jacket extending downwardly to the lower waist line of the wearer sufficiently to provide the necessary efliciency of the operation of the jacket to give the proper buoyancy to keep the wearer afloat in the water.

In Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8 are shown various views of the air-jacket made in separate half sections 40 and 4 i with means at the front and rear for any desired adjustment for fitting any size figure of the wearers, the rear adjustment being accomplished by a lace string or cord 2-5 and the front by the ribbon-like tabs 28.

The above divided air-jacket ensemble may be used in combination with any desired swimming outfit, such as, for example, with a bust strap or brassire 5i! and lower shorts 5!, in which the sections 40 and 4| may be covered with a suitable covering 52, such as satin, or the like. Or the sections may be without any covering, in which any suitable outer garment or swimming suit may be placed therearound. The jacket may be of any size or depth, designed in difierent shapes than shown and described, and an inner flap 55 may or may not be added at the breast portion having a pocket 33'.

It is to be understood that air-jackets as shown and illustrated in the drawings and described in the foregoing specification may be altered in material, design, structure and their operations, providing same comes within the spirit of this invention and within the scope of the appended claims.

Similar parts will have th same numeral but primed over the original parts.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire by Letters Patent of the United States of America is as follows:

1. An air jacket of the character described, comprising an inflatable body formed of two separable thin layers of india rubber secured together at their outer edges and throughout the body by intermediate tufted portions, said outer edges having secured thereto a binding strip of cloth, said tufted portions being secured and reinforced by horizontal and vertical tapes, said airjacket having end portions whereat said horizontal strips extend beyond to provide lacing tapes, said air jacket being adapted to be fitted around the body of the wearer, whereby said extended strips of said end portions secure said airjacket to said body, said air-jacket being adapted to be either partially inflated when used as an article of clothing or fully inflated when used as a life preserver.

2. An ever ready air jacket of the character described, comprising an inflatable body formed of separate thin rubber layers secured together at their outer edges, said layers being of sufiicient size so as to surround the body of the wearer, said body having vertical and horizontal tapes running crossways, said layers of rubber being secured by tufts to said tapes at their overlapping portions, the end portions of said layers where secured together having an extended strip provided with means thereon for securing said jacket onto the wear in a tight fit.

3. An ever ready air jacket of the character described, comprising an inflatable body formed of two separable duplicate patterns of Very thin rubber secured together at their outer edge portions, vertical and horizontal tapes extending crossways within said layers of thin rubber, said horizontal tapes being provided with extended end portions, whereby said jacket may be secured around the body and chest of the wearer, said patterns having curved upper portions to fit under the arm pits of the wearer, whereby a proper buoyancy is provided, said vertical tapes extended at the bottom portion of said jacket and provided with button holes therein to be secured to buttons of a pants garment.

4. An ever ready air jacket of the character described, comprising an inflatable body formed of two thin separable sections of rubber secured together at their outer edges, horizontal and ver tical tapes extending within said sections, said sections being secured by tuft portions at the overlapping portions of said vertical and horizontal tapes to prevent stretching when said jacket is inflated, said jacket being adapted to be worn as a part of a coat garment for a wind breaker, or as a life saving means when the wearer is on the water, said jacket provided with curved portions to fit under the arm and shoulder in order to bring up the jacket on the breast of the wearer in order to provide the proper buoyance, and means to secure the jacket in position on the wearer.

VALENTINE GERICH. 

